In the mining, extractive and other industries that produce bulk solids, it is necessary to move large amounts of material over long distances. Overland conveyors provide an effective means for transporting bulk material such as coal, iron ore, stone, sand, woodchips and the like. Typically, the conveyors are installed on site using concrete strip or pier or pile-style footings every 2-3 metres. Conveyors can reach total lengths of up to one hundred kilometres.
The conveyors are required to negotiate various terrain and surface features such as creeks, rivers, estuaries and open water, drainage channels, areas of archaeological and/or cultural sensitivity, variability in terrain and soil types, roads, and other services and infrastructure.
At present the conveyors are constructed on site. Parts are shipped in via train or truck and assembled on site. This is usually carried out manually and involves substantial amounts of manual handling and physical work. The construction is time consuming and costly, particularly in remote areas where personnel must be transported to and from the site and accommodated. Additionally, the conveyors are typically open to air, and are exposed to heat, dust and other weather elements thus causing deterioration of the conveyor structure itself, and also idlers, rubber belting, communications and other services. Additionally, and depending on the material being conveyed, losses may occur due to wind blowing material from the conveyor. This not only leads to a loss of income, but also poses an environmental impact due to contamination of the surrounding landscape.
In colder climates, conveyors are subject to snow loads, ice build-up and the freezing of components. This can lead to premature wear, failure of components and deterioration of the material being conveyed. Colder climates, snow and ice, also can contaminate or adversely affect the product being conveyed. In extreme levels of cold, operation of the conveyor can require special insulation and heating to avoid freezing, which is unsuitable for operation.
Another problem with current conveyors is noise. Many overland conveyors are installed in areas that are within hearing distance of noise receptors. Harmonic noise and vibration can cause noise to be transmitted to nearby noise receptors and can often be the subject of noise complaints owing to the adverse impacts to people's quality of life.
Electro-mechanical drive units provide the required haulage effort to move the belting and load being carried. Powering these drive units is either electrical and/or mechanical power. This usually requires electrical mains to be connected to the driving end of the conveyance, and sometimes along the conveyances length for communications or other subsequent drive units. Often though, conveyors are employed in remote locations, and away from sources of mains electrical power. This requires mains conductors to be installed, sometimes over long distances, to power drive units. In other instances where it is either not possible or feasible to install electrical mains conductors, electrical power is generated on-site using generators fuelled by either diesel, gas or some other combustible fuel source, or combination thereof.
Generally, conveyances can consume significant amounts of electrical and/or mechanical power in order to move the combined mass of belting and/or loads being carried. As such, conveyances can be expensive to operate, owing to the cost of installing and using electrical power.